Category Archives: Futurist

Londons skyline has changed drastically over the years. Buildings like The Shard, Gherkin and London Eye are all architectural masterpieces and are iconic to London. These buildings didnt exist 50 years ago but Londons skyline has continued to evolve to encompass the old and new. However, if you were to see a photo of the London skyline in 1951 you may be confused to see a gigantic rocket shaped sculpture and question where it is today.

The Skylon was built in 1951 as part of the Festival of Britain under the post war Labour government. The futuristic sculpture which was suspended in mid-air stood at 300 feet and weighed 100 tonnes. Philip Powell, one of the architects, described what it was like: At night it was lit from inside by hundreds of lightbulbs, and by day, when it was windy, the air rushed through the aluminium louvres that ran up the length of its central section, and made a humming sound."

The festival was a huge success with the public with over half the population turning up to check it out. Robert Hewison, a cultural historian, said he remembers paying five shillings (25p) to get in aged eight. He said: Skylon was a very beautiful piece of architecture. It was the tallest structure in London at that time and it spoke of rockets and space travel.

READ MORE: The forgotten London landmarks where Londoners arranged to meet their friends in the 90s before mobile phones

But despite its popularity with the public, when Churchill came back into power he was worried that the futuristic sculpture represented socialist Britain and demanded that the sculpture be dismantled just one year after it had been built. He claimed the festival was three-dimensional socialist propaganda and that the spidery cables supporting it were Just like modern Britain no visible means of support.

Since the demolition, there have been various rumours about where the sculpture ended up with some claiming it was thrown into the River Thames, or that it was buried under South Banks Jubilee Gardens. BBC Radio 4 launched a campaign to find out exactly where it ended up but the result of their investigation led to no impressive breakthrough, instead the sculpture found its way to scrap metal dealerships where it was subsequently made into cutlery.

However, in 2011 an original part was found in the living room of one Londoner's bedroom. The grandson of Percy Levy, a director of the firm hired to demolish the Skylon in 1952, revealed that he owns a part of the vertical structure. Nick Baughan said: The company was given the responsibility of scrapping it, and he stole a bit.

Today, you would have no idea that an iconic British landmark used to stand at Southbank. Instead, a simple gold ring on the Queen Elizabeth Walk commemorates the place where the tower stood. It reads: I saw a blade which rises in the sky held by hardly nothing at all.

Do you have a story you think we should be covering? If so, email gabriella.clare@reachplc.com

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The forgotten futuristic London skyscraper the public loved but was torn down just one year after it was built - My London

After Yang is a futuristic science fiction film in which there arent any stunts, space travel, or spandex. In fact, its so lacking in conventional sci-fi signifiers that you may not immediately notice its set in the future at alland thats exactly what costume designer Arjun Bhasin and writer/director Kogonada intended.

In crafting the A24 films vision of the future (the year and locale of which are unspecified) the objective was not so much the invention of a new frontier, but the hopeful speculation of a return, as Bhasin relays over a Zoom call. The intention was to create a modern world that felt like it borrowed from ancient traditions. Bhasins costume design, which prominently references Asian fashion in its mixture of modern designer fare and traditional cultural garments, is central to After Yangs vision of a globalized civilization that is both reverent of the past and severed from it, grasping at its fraying edges.

Adapted from Alexander Weinsteins short story Saying Goodbye to Yang, the film follows Jake (Colin Farrell) and his wife Kyra (Jodie Turner-Smith) as they raise their adopted Chinese daughter Mika (Malea Emma Tjandrawidjaja) with the help of Yang (Justin H. Min), an artificially-intelligent technosapien android designed to teach Mika about her heritage. After Yang succumbs to mechanical failure, Jakes mission to get him repaired gives way to new understanding of Yangs inner world, which proves revelatory for the entire family. Following up Kogonadas 2017 feature debut Columbus, After Yang is a meditation on memory, alienation, and cultural identity.

Instead of a stereotypically slick, minimalistic sci-fi aesthetic monochromatic palettes, form-fitting fabrics, impenetrable textures Bhasins costume design favors breezy, layered silhouettes of cotton and linen in earthy shades of turmeric, indigo, and brick. We were all excited about doing science fiction, but not really hitting it in the way that it's been seen before, where everything is shiny and metallic and modern, Bhasin says. We wanted it to be tactile, warm, friendly, and inviting. The costuming and biophilic production designairy interiors with bountiful greenery, even inside of carswere based on parameters Kogonada and co. established early on for their futuristic society. The first was that humanity had reached a reconciliatory relationship with nature after being humbled by environmental catastrophe. The second thing was this idea of globalization, Bhasin says. That the world was not countries, [but] an open world where everything flowed into everything else.

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How A24s After Yang Depicts the Films Futuristic Asian Culture Through Fashion - GQ

Having delighted audiences with last years infectiously entertaining video game-flavoured romp Free Guy , its no surprise that Ryan Reynolds and director Shawn Levy wanted to work together again.

The shock is how quickly the team-up has taken place, as here they are again with another family-friendly adventure - this time for Netflix.

Reynolds stars as time-travelling fighter pilot Adam , who accidentally crash-lands in 2022 and is forced to join forces with his 12-year-old self (Walker Scobell) to try and save the future.

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Weve seen plenty of body-swapping flicks but not too many where a character interplays with their younger self.

It works a treat here as Scobell, remarkably making his movie acting debut, has all of Reynolds quirks, facial expressions, verbal cues and sarcasm down to a fine art.

The youngster is apparently a huge fan of Reynolds - and can recite every line in the first Deadpool film - and it shows as he swipes the flick from underneath his heros feet.

I also appreciated seeing 13 Going on 30 stars Jennifer Garner and Mark Ruffalo reunite, and the pair are terrific as Adams parents.

Some of the emotional moments between older Adam and his mum and dad will have you reaching for the tissues.

Zoe Saldana makes a welcome return to movies in her first appearance since 2019s Avengers: Endgame as Adams wife Laura , but Catherine Keeners Sorian doesnt project enough menace or threat as the main antagonist.

The Adam Project shares similarities with Free Guy - Reynolds playing a fish-out-of-water, futuristic visuals, its overall message of hope and the importance of love - and, as a result, would probably have benefited from being released a couple of years from now.

However, Levy never lets his latest flick lose its warmth, even when the special effects and set pieces take over, and as well as enticing raw emotion from Reynolds, he has introduced the world to a potential top new talent in the superb Scobell.

Pop me an email at ian.bunting@reachplc.com and I will pass on your movie or TV show recommendations to your fellow readers.

Jamie Tyler said: Ive started watchingSchitts Creek on Netflix and cant stop; its absolutely hilarious.

The Adam Project is streaming on Netflix now.

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MOVIE REVIEW: We take the time to assess Netflix's 'The Adam Project' - Daily Record

"They didnt want a Black face up there."Company Culture

It really sounds like Tesla isnt treating all its employees equally. A new report published yesterday includes testimony from employees who say they were called racial slurs and later fired simply because they asked for respect in the workplace.

One single mother said she was excited to work for Tesla but was fired because she made a complaint about Black workers being call the N-word on the assembly line. According to the report originally published in the LA Times, other employees were also called racial slurs and insults and penalized for telling management.

The insults werent only verbal. The companys culture affected workers work loads and responsibilities, according to employees who called the California plant they work in modern day slavery.

I was a skinny 115 pounds, former Tesla employee and 32-year-old single mom Monica Chatman said during an interview with the LA Times about being overworked as a Black employee at Tesla . I said, Youre telling me to do a four-man job by myself? Her words were: Do the job or lose your job.'

Chatman also said Tesla management didnt want workers of color to be super visible when billionaire Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk dropped in.

They didnt want a Black face up there, Chatman said.

Of course, Tesla denied these allegations despite an ongoinglawsuit filed on behalf of workers.

Race plays no role in any of Teslas work assignments, promotions, pay or discipline, attorneys for the company said in a statement made to the Times. Tesla prohibits discrimination.

Sure, sure, Tesla those things never happened. Just like Elon Musk didntmean to invoke Hitler and certainly didntmean to mock transgender folks. Just like Apple doesnt pretend to be police officers and bang on former employees doors, and just like Amazon isnt also known for literally working employees to death.

Those things definitely, certainly arent happening at least not if you talk to the lawyers, attorneys, HR representatives, communications directors and spokespeople who say so.

The problem is with both racist individuals in the tech industry and those who ignore racism in the tech industry. If youre not actively anti-racist, well which category do you you fall into?

Listening to your cubicle neighbor, subordinate, higher up or colleague about issues they experience costs absolutely nothing. For the colleague denied a safer and more dignified work place, your inaction could cost them everything.

More on Tesla disinformation: Elon Musk Says Tesla Doesnt Make Political Contributions Even Though It Absolutely Does

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More Employees Are Saying That Tesla's Factory Is Horrifically Racist - Futurism

Look into the lasting legacy of painter Stevon Luceros work based in Aztec lore and spirituality, pick up art by your favorites or nobody in particular at BMoCas Open Wall fundraiser, get hip to Boulder Arts Week and keep following the MoPrint trail this weekend.

And there are plenty of other stops along the way. Heres where the action is:

Stevon Lucero, "Messenger."

Stevon Lucero

Open Wall: Exhibition and SaleBoulder Museum of Contemporary Art, 1750 13th Street, BoulderFriday, March 25, 6 to 9 p.m.; Saturday, March 26, and Sunday, March 27, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.The BMoCA tradition Open Wall is on, just in time for Boulder Arts Week and the rejuvenation of our cultural spaces after two years on the rocky ground of navigating a pandemic. The museum drops its arty facade for a long weekend and invites local artists at every level to hang up their art for all the world to see, with all sales partially benefiting BMoCAs education and programming wing. Its a fifty-fifty deal for the artists (sixty-forty for artists who are also museum members) and often a deal-maker for patrons looking to add new art to their collections without breaking the bank.

Kate Petley, Monologue, archival print and acrylic on canvas.

Courtesy of Robischon Gallery

One of 555 unique images from Richard Alden Peterson's A Darker Nature series.

Richard Peterson

Tour the murals of the Street Wise Mural Festival for Boulder Arts Week.

Edica Pacha and Uc Sepia

Printmaker Jeff Russell unpacks the secrets of the hexagon.

Jeff Russell

Theresa Haberkorn, Garden II.

Courtesy of Niza Knoll Gallery

Mario Zoots, Fragments 3, 2022, acrylic and paper on linen.

Courtesy of K Contemporary

Visit Ink Lounge on the Mo'Print Studio Tour.

Courtesy of Ink Lounge

Peter Miles Bergman unveils his PaCT project at Dateline Gallery.

Peter Miles Bergman, IS Press

Interested in having your event appear in this calendar? Send the details to [emailprotected].

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Art Attack: Follow the Mo'Print Trail and More This Weekend in Denver - Westword

As if the metaverse wasn't painful enough already!Feel the Pain

A Japanese startup called H2L Technologies wants you to be able to feel pain inside the metaverse, via a wristband that dishes out small electric shocks.

Its a strange new development that goes to show companies are willing to go far in their quest to blur the lines between reality and the virtual world, the Financial Times reports.

Feeling pain enables us to turn the metaverse world into a real [world], with increased feelings of presence and immersion, H2L CEO Emi Tamaki told FT.

The Sony-backed startups wearable isnt designed with only inflicting pain in mind. Its also meant to convey weight and resistance feeling to users and avatars on the Metaverse, according to thecompany.

Thanks to the wristbands electrical stimulation, it can mimic a range of sensations from catching a ball to a bird pinching the wearers skin.

Tamakis goals are much greater than a simple wristband. Shes hoping to release humans from any sort of constraint in terms of space, body and time within the next decade.

The idea of the haptic wearable reportedly came to her after she had a near-death experience in her late teens due to a congenital heart disease.

I realized life was precious so I decided to work on a new field that I really wanted to dig into, as there was no one doing research at the time, Tamaki told the FT.

To her, its a way to connect with the outside world, especially for people like her who dont have enough muscle due to heart disease. Her dream is to travel anywhere, anytime through the technology even if that experience involves physical pain.

READ MORE: Japanese start-up wants to cause real-life pain in the metaverse

More on the metaverse: Heinekens Metaverse Event Was So Awful, Even Tabloids Want Out

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Startup Says Its Tech Can Inflict Actual Pain in the Metaverse - Futurism

Don't @ me but using green energy isn't a bad thing. Is it something we can fully depend on right now? No, it's not. Right now, we just do not have the technology and the knowhow to be completely dependent on solar, wind and other forms of non-fossil fuel energy. Until we do have the technology and knowhow, green energy will just have to be acompliment to our current energy needs. So yeah, when I saw this story, I had no problem with the company experimenting with an idea like this.

Target is experimenting with a store in California that will be powered completely with solar panels. They are hoping that it will be their first net zero energy store. The store design will use solar panels on the roof of the store as well as carports in the parking lot with solar panels on top. This is cool but my first thought is being able to park, do some shopping and come to a car that's not blazing hot from being in direct sunlight.

From what I can gather from the presentation, the store will still need to rely on a traditional power source but the combination of the solar panels, switching from natural gas to electric HVAC, CO2 refrigeration and LED lighting will reduce their overall power consumption.

corporate.target.com

corporate.target.com

corporate.target.com

Right now, the Target store in Tyler is going through a much needed remodel. Could a lot of these changes be implemented here? With the exception of the solar panels, I don't see why not. I'm probably about to get yelled at by the green energy people but we are not at a point to totally depend on renewable energy, we're not. Does that mean not to use it where we can? No, it compliments our traditional energy sources very much and results in using those traditional energy sources less which means they will last longer.

Its all working together very good right now so let's keep it all working together until we can fully harness one over the other.

It's the top of the new Work Smart building in Longview and people love it.

We've put together a wishlist of great locations for a Buc-ee's location in East Texas.

More and more, East Texans want restaurants where they can share a meal and hang out on a cool patio with their best furry friends. Here are TEN great spots in Tyler to do just that!

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This Futuristic Target is a Cool Idea and Should Come to Tyler, Texas - knue.com

Theres a good chance youll find your next great read among the best sci-fi books of all time. Science fiction is a broad genre that contains everything from military fiction to steampunk, robots, and alien worlds. Theres a backlog of classics that you dont want to miss, like Frankenstein, War of the Worlds, and at least one Jules Verne novel. And new books byauthors like Nnedi Okorafor are reshaping the look and feel of the genre.

The novel that qualifies as one of the best sci-fi books of all time is highly subjective, and you can find many great, in-depth debates on the subject. We picked books that represent the best of the best within certain categories. Heres our list of the best sci-fi books, along with a few tips to help you pick one thats most likely to transport you to a civilization, planet, or time youve never experienced before.

Best Classic: Frankenstein Best New: Remote Control Best Climate Change Sci-Fi: The Ministry for the Future Best Prophetic Sci-Fi: Parable of the Sower Best Sci-Fi Turned Movie: The Martian Best Sci-Fi Graphic Novel: On a Sunbeam Best Visionary Sci-Fi: The City We Became Best Series: The Ultimate Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy Best Fantasy: Dune Best Young Adult: A Wrinkle in Time

There are many fascinating, exciting, and introspective sci-fi books to read that it wasnt easy to decide on which ones made the list. Weve been avid sci-fi readers for years, so we based our decisions on the writing and story quality, effect on the genre, and reviews/popularity of the book.

Writing and Story Quality: Writing and story quality can be subjective, but books that continue to remain popular and relevant despite the passage of time highlight quality.

Affect on the Genre: We looked for books that not only had an impact on their readers but on the genre as a whole. Certain books open ideas and writing forms that continue to influence science fiction, both written and visual, for decades.

Reviews/Popularity: The books on the list have been popular in their time and many well beyond their time. Not everyone will like a book, but the book should have at least four stars to make the list. You can read your favorites with the best ereaders.

Why It Made The Cut: This genre-bending novel made waves when it was first published and continues to shape our understanding of sci-fi and horror, making it the best classic sci-fi book.

Specs: Length: 222 pages Series Length: One Original Publication Date: 1818

Pros: Familiar story with many film adaptations Excellent setting descriptions Explores morality and humanity

Cons: Language may feel outdated

The story of Frankensteins monster is familiar, thanks to many film and television adaptations. Author Mary Shelley started the book while still a teenager and managed to write one of the first recognized science fiction novels. In the process, she managed to mix it with horror enough to affect the foundations of two major genres.

The story of the mad scientist Frankenstein explores themes we still see today, making it one of the best classic sci fi books . Though Frankenstein can give life to dead tissue, should he? Where are the moral lines in science? Hes unwilling to then accept responsibility for the monster hes created, leaving the reader to wonder whos the real monster in the story.

Frankenstein came out in 1818, with revisions made in 1831. It can take some time to adjust to the language. Some readers dont have a problem with that, while others may find it too stilted for their tastes. Or pick up one of the best space gifts instead.

Why It Made The Cut: Remote Control is classic Okorafor, which is to say, exciting, surprising, and brilliantly written, making it the best new sci-fi book.

Specs: Length: 156 pages Series Length: One Original Publication Date: 2021

Pros: Complex main character thats both relatable and admirable Imaginative world Intriguing what if theory behind the plot

Cons: Heavy emotions can be intense

Nnedi Okorafor continues to create imaginative, insightful science fiction with Remote Control. The main character faces the loss of everything and everyone she knows when she becomes the adopted daughter of death. The book, which is relatively short, explores intense feelings, which can be a bit heavy for some readers. However, Okorafor successfully creates a world thats enough like our own to spark personal introspection but foreign enough to draw inquisitive readers into the plot. In the end, its a great story that will leave you thinking long after youve flipped the last page. For another great new read, check out Zoey Punches the Future in the D**k.

Why It Made The Cut: The Ministry for the Future is urgent science fiction firmly grounded in the present, bending genre to help readers face the terrors of climate change.

Specs: Length: 576 pages Series Length: One Original Publication Date: 2020

Pros: Extremely relevant to our present situation Raises important questions and possible solutions Fast-paced narrative

Cons: Some readers may be seeking lighter topics

Similar to the genre of horror, dystopian sci-fi offers a way for people to explore the primal fear evoked by worst-case scenarios. However, because global climate change has been impacting our mental health for years, science fiction dystopias about the issue can hit a little too close to home.

In The Ministry for the Future, acclaimed science fiction author Kim Stanley Robinson erodes the boundary between dystopias and the current moment by setting his story just slightly ahead of where we are now. Details in the fictional story from home particulate meters to cataclysmic weather events could easily be found in our current reality.

The books narrow degree of separation from the present, coupled with vivid storytelling, provides an inventive way for readers to grapple with urgent questions of personal and societal responsibility. You may find both motivation to act and room for hope. And you can start saving energy with some of the best solar panels.

Why It Made The Cut: Written almost three decades ago, in Parable of the Sower legendary science fiction author Octavia Butler shows us 2025 with unsettling foresight.

Specs: Length: 336 pages Series Length: Two Original Publication Date: 1993

Pros: Part of a two-book series Insight to apply to modern life Philosophical exploration of religion

Cons: A third book was never completed

In September 2020, Parable of the Sower was number 14 on the New York Times bestseller list of paperback trade fiction. While wildfires altered the sky color in San Francisco and the world struggled during the early months of the pandemic, readers were discovering that Butlers book, written nearly thirty years before, was proving increasingly relevant.

Octavia Butlers work is a must-read for any fan of science fiction, and some call her the mother of Afrofuturism. If science fiction is a vehicle for predicting humanitys worst future impulses and showing how our best qualities can counteract the damage, reading this book in the very time period it was set offers thrilling comparisons and opportunities for introspection. Readers will appreciate following the story in 1998s Parable of the Talents, but unfortunately a third book in the series was not finished.

Why It Made The Cut: The Martian will delight sci-fi fans who feel that the strongest representations of the genre prioritize scientific realism over the authors imagination.

Specs: Length: 387 pages Series Length: One Original Publication Date: 2011

Pros: Enjoy in multiple mediums Plausibility Conversational style

Cons: Some readers may get tired of the setting

One of the biggest draws of The Martian by Andy Weir is the authors grounding his book in plausible scenarios such as what scientists knew about Mars at the time the book was written. Mark Whatneys heros journey as an astronaut stranded on the Red Planet is a classic tale of surviving against all odds while awaiting rescue, told through an informal diary style that helps readers feel like they too could be forced to grow potatoes fueled by their own poop.

In addition to sparking discussions about gardening in space, readers can check out photos of places depicted in the novel (and the subsequent Matt Damon blockbuster) on the University of Arizonas website. While this book does not have a sequel, our continuing scientific advances (and perhaps the obsessions of Elon Musk) tease the question of whether a real-life sequel of sorts could happen soon. You can get more perspective on the galaxy with the best telescopes.

Why It Made The Cut: On a Sunbeam offers an escape into a visually arresting universe, with a love story at its heart that brings warmth to the vastness and unknowability of outer space.

Specs: Length: 544 pages Series Length: One Original Publication Date: 2018

Pros: Beautiful artwork Cinematic storytelling Striking color schemes

Cons: Visual medium has less text than a traditional book

Tillie Walden was only 22 years old when On a Sunbeam was published, but this graphic novel holds appeal for adults as well as teenagers. While the origins of the queer love story that unfolds across the books two timelines take place in a boarding school, we depart from boarding school tropes to revisit the characters after time has passed and their lives have taken different directions.

Nominated for a 2018 Hugo award for best story (given out annually by the World Science Fiction society), some might say it falls under the sci-fi sub-genre of space opera. For readers intrigued by science fiction but turned off by the sometimes lengthy descriptions and rules of alternate world-building, this book tells the story through dialogue and illustrations in a way that invites the imagination to freely inhabit other places. Travel virtually to other new worlds with the best space games.

Why It Made The Cut: With The City We Became, N.K. Jemisin re-envisions New York City through the lens of science fiction and fantasy with striking results.

Specs: Length: 448 pages Series Length: Two (thus far) Original Publication Date: 2020

Pros: Takes place in a reimagined New York City Speculative fiction set in modern times Part of an epic series

Cons: The next book is not out until November 2022

So many science fiction books take place in worlds that only exist in the authors imagination. In The City We Became, four-time Hugo award winner N.K. Jemisin creates a visionary new world based on a place where many readers have lived, vacationed in, spent time visiting friends and family, or learned about in the media.

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Jemisin speaks of capturing the minute details of Manhattans Inwood Hill Park in person to reinforce the reality of the locale in her prose even as the story utterly transforms that reality. Unlike traditional sci-fi classics where the closest youll get to immersion in the story is visiting a movie set or theme park based on the book, with the books setting and level of detail readers could find themselves in the very place where an avatar emerged or a tentacle was unleashed.

Why It Made The Cut: Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy goes beyond cult classic with a witty, fun, galactic adventure that attracts more than sci-fi fans, making it the best sci-fi series.

Specs: Length: N/A Series Length: Five Original Publication Date: 1979

Pros: Funny enough to attract those who arent fans of sci-fi Makes fun of but integrates classic sci-fi tropes Series takes beloved characters on interesting adventures through to the very end of the last book

Cons: May not appeal to hard sci-fi readers

The Ultimate Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy has been a classic sci-fi hit since its initial release in 1979. The series follows the adventures of Arthur Dent as he makes his way across the galaxy from one humorous situation to another. Its touted as one of the funniest sci-fi series of all time, attracting readers who dont usually appreciate the genre. If youre looking for a laugh-out-loud adventure that lasts for five volumes, this is the best sci-fi book series. However, hard science fiction fans may not appreciate the soft approach to science.

Why It Made The Cut: Dune is a sci-fi classic that walks the line between genres with a rich world and deep characters, making it the best sci-fi fantasy book.

Specs: Length: 890 pages Series Length: Six Original Publication Date: 1965

Pros: Complex world with deep characters Combines magic-like powers of fantasy with the technology of an advanced civilization Six books in the series offers reading for months

Cons: The epic length may turn off some readers

Youd be hard-pressed to tiptoe into the sci-fi section and not run across Dune, one of the best sci-fi fantasy books. The cult classic walks the line between science fiction and fantasy, with a religion that borders on magic. However, that religion thrives in a technologically advanced world to put the book firmly in both the sci-fi and fantasy camps. This epic novel isnt for the faint of heart. Its length and unique setting can take some commitment to get into, but once you do, the powerful writing and rich culture and characters make it worth the effort.

Why It Made The Cut: LEngles classic novel explains complex concepts in ways that children (and adults) love, making it the best young adult sci-fi book.

Specs: Length: 206 pages Series Length: Five Original Publication Date: 1962

Pros: Makes science approachable and interesting Explores childrens feelings of not fitting in Encourages children to embrace their strengths to solve problems

Cons: More appropriate for middle-grade readers

A Wrinkle in Time is the first sci-fi book that many children read. While weve got it categorized as a YA, it more closely appeals to middle-grade readers thanks to the age of the main character, Meg. However, it addresses themes of belonging, family, and friendships that speak to older children and even adults, making it one of the best young adult sci-fi books.

The book was first published in 1962, so theres definitely a Cold War feel to it. However, the characters ability to face and solve problems on their own while trying to understand complex, abstract principles is a great intro to the genre. LEngle followed it up with four more books that star other members of the family for readers who want the adventures to continue.

Books are broadly categorized into genres and sub-genres. Science fiction used to be its own genre, but today, its considered a sub-genre of speculative fiction. Before grabbing the first sci-fi book you see, consider additional sub-genres that pique your interest. Popular science fiction sub-genres include:

Military science fiction Space opera Sci-fi romance Steampunk Cyberpunk Hard science fiction Soft science fiction Time travelSuperhero fiction

Each of these subgenres follows different tropes and styles that may or may not interest you. For example, military science fiction typically requires a high-level accuracy when depicting military organizations, relationships, and battles, whereas books about our future are left open to the authors interpretation. Hard science fiction typically goes into the detail of the science, which plays a bigger role in the plot. Thats where to start if you require strict scientific accuracy.

Are you looking for an epic (long) novel or a short story? Isaac Asimov and Philip K. Dick wrote many short stories, anthologies, and novellas, whereas Dune by Frank Herbert is an epic commitment. Consider the time you have and if you enjoy diving into a different world for a few hours or are willing to devote a few days or weeks to a single book.

The only reason I suggest you look at the publication date is to get a better idea of the societal norms that might be present in the book. Sci-fi novels are known for pushing ideas and boundaries, but they can still have outdated notions and ideas. A book thats had many printings since its publication date may also stand the test of time better than one thats only been printed once. Authors and publishers can, if they choose, make small changes at each printing.

Also, consider the books available formats. Do you prefer reading on a tablet or ereader, or would you rather listen to an audiobook? There are many more formats than there once were, from a 12min micro book library to novellas and flash fiction, which usually keeps the word count under 3,000 words.

Ridley Scotts Blade Runner was based on Philip K. Dicks Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? The book addresses the question of what if androids had feelings as deep and complex as a humans.

Elements of science fiction appeared in early literature among several cultures, making it difficult to pinpoint the first official sci-fi book. The Blazing World by Margaret Cavendish, written in 1666, often gets the credit. However, the themes were most familiar with today appeared for the first time in Mary Shelleys Frankenstein. She explored not only the abilities of science but the ethics behind what could or should be done with those abilities. The book also sheds light on the human condition through the eyes of the creature and the creators unwillingness to take responsibility for his creations actions.

The best sci-fi book ever is largely a matter of opinion. No matter which novel gets the top award, there will be a hot debate with valid reasons for choosing a different novel. However, the classic Frankenstein by Mary Shelley wins out for story, themes, and writing, though the language is a bit dated at times. That does not discredit other sci-fi greats that didnt make our list, such as Jules Verne, Orson Wells, and Isaac Asimov.

Science fiction is a subgenre of speculative fiction, which contains elements that are not found in real life. Specifically, science fiction asks and explores what if questions. What if a scientist created life from death (Frankenstein)? What if robots felt as deeply as humans (Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?)? However, science fiction can but doesnt have to take place in space, the future, have robots, include time travel, or many of the other more common sci-fi settings and plots. Science or technology typically play a role in a science fiction plot though it doesnt have to drive the plot or characters.

We suggest Dune. Sci-fi and fantasy are interrelated speculative fiction sub-genres that frequently mix and mingle. Dune offers one of the most popular and poignant examples. A mystical religion that bestows its followers with near magical powers, yet the world is built on technology that impacts the plot and characters. This book also explores the psychology of the human existence, an aspect of science that makes this a great book to span the gap between sci-fi and fantasy. You can also explore new worlds with the best VR games.

Dune by Frank Herbert is still one of the most popular science fiction books of all time. However, its not for everyone. Enders Game by Orson Scott Card, explores sci-fi themes a little closer to home and can be enjoyed by teens and adults.

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine LEngle is beloved by children and adults and offers a great introduction to science fiction. The science underlies a story that spans the universe. It explores themes of acceptance, love, and the power of friendship and family.

Sci-fi is genre fiction, which its laden with tropes (as are all genres). Those tropes (literary devices or norms) can bring down criticism on books within the genre when compared to other genres. For example, science fiction often takes place in the future, an alternate future, or a different planet. The author has to spend time info dumping to explain the whos, whats, and whys of these foreign elements that the reader needs to know to give context to the story. Many sci-fi authors info dump without readers even knowing it. However, info dumping is looked down upon in other genres, yet in sci-fi its expected to a certain degree. The use of tropes that make sci-fi what it is often gets it excluded from best book lists.

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley is one of the best sci-fi books of all time. If youre building your home library or want to dive deep into books that have affected the genre for centuries, you cant go wrong with Frankenstein. For kids who love sci-fi or are ready to try it for the first time, A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine LEngle offers an adventure theyre likely to love.

This post was created by a non-news editorial team at Recurrent Media, Futurisms owner. Futurism may receive a portion of sales on products linked within this post.

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The Best Sci-Fi Books of 2022 - Futurism

University of Oklahoma Athletics

The Dillon Gabriel era at Oklahoma has begun. Although it may be short-lived, given that he has only one year of eligibility remaining, it comes with a lot of hope for the Sooners to continue their success and it also comes with a new helmet.

Gabriel is one of a few college football players who chose to wear the new Riddell Axiom helmet this season. He was seen getting fitted for the new lid earlier this spring and he got to wear it for the first time during the first spring practice on Tuesday.

The helmet, which is custom-fitted to the players head, is designed to increase player safety. It has a lot of new features that put the player first and are considered the most advanced, personalized football helmet on the market.

It also looks more like a race car helmet than a football helmet.

Ohio States C.J. Stroud is also going to wear the new helmet this fall.

The biggest aspect of the helmet is the smart technology that is connected to Riddells new InSite Analytics software. The software allows teams to view head impact date on individual players and position group analysis.

Web-based, the analytics platform show as the quantity of team and individual head collisions increases or decreases on both a daily and weekly basis. It also includes charts that show the frequency of impact to specific locations, such as the back, front, left, right, or top of the head.

The technology is a huge breakthrough in the space and could see a significant increase in how head injuries and hits to the head are documented, treated, and perhaps most importantly, viewed.

Players are fitted for their helmets through Riddells Verifyt app. It scans thickness, shape and contour of an athletes head, and Riddell takes that date to add interior liner pads to the helmet that properly fit the athlete in terms of comfort and protection.

The helmet also includes flex system panels to improve impact response and a new facemask that is intended to better manage and respond to the energy of an impact. Riddell also installed a panoramic visor that strengthens the facemask structure and provides a better view of the field.

Sooners head coach Brett Venables had nothing but good things to say about his new quarterback during the offseason.

And on Tuesday, Gabriel looked very good in his first practice with his new team. Although, he definitely looked different than the rest of the players on the field in his new lid.

One throw from the first spring practice stood out in particular. It was a dime.

Gabriel will have to compete well in the spring and during the early fall practices this summer, but he and Stroud will likely be the first two starting quarterbacks in college football to take the field wearing Riddells Axiom helmets come Week 1.

Originally posted here:
Dillon Gabriel Makes Strong Oklahoma Debut In New Helmet That Looks Like It's From The Future - BroBible

Futurist Graeme Codrington returns from the Expo excited about possibilities, also for power generation in SA - The Money Show Image of Dubai Expo 2020 posted on Facebook @Expo2020_teamsa

Expo 2020 Dubai finally kicked off in October 2021 after being delayed for a year.

It closes its six-month run at the end of March.

The world expo's described as a showcase of "the best global examples of collaboration, innovation and cooperation" through the theme of Connecting Minds, Creating the Future.

It features Pavilions from 192 countries around the world, including South Africa.

Bruce Whitfield chats to futurist Graeme Codrington (partner at TomorrowToday) about his impressions during the week he spent there as a guest of the Institute of Directors SA (IOD).

Its been billed as the greatest show on earth and it was spectacular... I walked 29 kilometres in two days!

I think I first saw an advert for Dubai 2020 on Emirates Airlines probably at least eight years ago! They had this idea that they would bring the whole world together... It was not a tourism expo to show off your country but a future-focused expo.

It's amazing to see what they've achieved in Dubai... It's that mindset of 'we can do anything', and when you've got oil revenue and a lot of low-cost workers you can do quite a lot.

This expo site was built, again, in virgin desert and will be converted into a new business district over the next few years.

Codringto highlights some of the national pavilions, where countries chose from the overarching themes of opportunity, mobility and sustainability.

Finland built this massive, weirdly shaped wooden room... When you get into the building they show you that room is actually capturing carbon dioxide out of the air... which they turn into methane that runs a machine that then sucks the desert air in and extracts water (100l a day) ... and then powers a coffee machine... You could literally have a cup of coffee that came from thin air...

I thought it would be almost a science fiction view with gadgets of the future... but then I realised they weren't in fact trying to show us a science fiction view of some far distant future fuelling our imaginations. They were trying to show us what's possible now.

Singapore's was literally just a building in the desert that was entirely self-sustaining, beautifully green in this searing heat... to say we don't have to wait twenty or thirty years... We can do this now.

Codrington came away inspired that the world _can _solve especially mobility and sustainability issues.

... and that's hugely important here in South Africa as we see the ravages of extreme weather and climate change hit our economy and our country.

Whitfield asks whether the expo also made Codrington apprehensive about the future, considering how far South Africa is behind in this technological sphere.

We're not as far behind as many think we are Codrington retorts.

I think, for example, that there are some very quick-win solutions we can get with power generation... In terms of putting up wind farms, solar farms, we're doing jolly well in South Africa.

All we need now is for the government's will to allow us to connect some of the private generation of power into the national grid and we're talking, within the next 12 to 18 months, about a very different system.

That's what I came away with... The one way of looking at the world is looking at everything that's not working, and the other looks at possibilities and opportunities.

"We can make this world a really great place to live in (even here in South Africa)" Codrington says in conclusion.

Listen to the uplifting interview on The Money Show:

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'Dubai Expo shows we can make this world a great place to live in, also in SA' - CapeTalk